Best Public Schools in Zip Code 29718

Zip code 29718 in Jefferson, South Carolina, is served by two public schools within the Chesterfield 01 school district, which holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the bottom third of districts statewide; the area covers grades PK-8, with no high school present, meaning students must leave the community for 9th grade and beyond.

Jefferson Elementary (PK-5, 329 students) is the clear academic leader, outperforming New Heights Middle (6-8, 457 students) in nearly every subject. In fact, Jefferson Elementary exceeds district averages in 4th and 5th grade English Language Arts (52.5% and 55.1% proficiency, respectively) and in 3rd grade math (50.0% proficiency, nearly 9 points above the district). However, its year-over-year scores are volatile—3rd grade math jumped from 20.4% to 50.0% in one year, while 4th grade science fell from 48.1% to 30.0%—suggesting small class sizes or inconsistent instruction. By contrast, New Heights Middle struggles significantly, especially in mathematics, where only 17-23% of students are proficient compared to 41-44% statewide—a gap of roughly 20-25 points. Its 8th grade math proficiency was just 8.3% in 2024-2025 before improving to 22.6% in 2025-2026.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at both schools, but particularly at New Heights Middle, where 32.6% of students are chronically absent (vs. 22.3% statewide), likely contributing to its low performance. Resource allocation also favors the elementary school: Jefferson Elementary spends $15,427 per student with a 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio, while New Heights Middle spends $12,791 with a 16.3:1 ratio—despite the middle school's greater academic needs. The transition from 5th to 6th grade is especially harsh, with ELA proficiency dropping from 55.1% to 32.9%, a 22-point "middle school slide." Parents should note that while Jefferson Elementary shows promise, the middle school's math crisis and attendance issues demand urgent attention, and the lack of a local high school adds another layer of disruption to students' educational paths.